Tuesday, 8 October 2013

Thursday, 26 July 2012

In this section I will give a few hints and tips on maximising the amount of views you receive on your YouTube channel, and getting more subscribers. If you are a partner, this will also help increase revenue you make from YouTube videos.

ENABLING ADS (Partners)

Enabling InStream and TrueView ads on all of your monetized videos will help to maximise the money you earn through AdSense. In order to do this you need to:

- Select Video Manger- Select 'edit' on the video- Select the 'Monetisation' tab- Then make sure that and 'TrueView in-stream ads' and 'standard in-stream ads' are ticked for all your videos.

ANNOTATIONS

It is a good idea to add annotations to all of your videos to help increase your channel traffic. I recommend you use annotations strategically to maximize your channels performance:

1. Put them in the videos that get that currently get the highest views (use annotations to link this traffic to less popular videos). For Example 'Check out my video on xxxxx'.

2. Encourage users to subscribe with call-to-action phrases like 'Subscribe Now!' and 'Don't Forget to Subscribe!' (Increasing your subscribers is the fastest way to grow your channel).

CUSTOM THUMBNAILS

Thumbnails act as mini marketing posters for your content on YouTube. You should always create custom poster frames. Thumbnails are very important for search, related video traffic, and page optimization. You can choose to upload a relevant image, or choose from the three auto-generated screen captures from the video. The important thing is your thumbnail must represent your video and that the picture is bright, clear, eye catching & good quality. For instructions on how to upload a custom thumbnail please see: Custom Thumbnails

PLAYLISTS

Create new playlists around searchable topics: Make use to use Artists' Names, Event Names, and/or Song/Album names on new Playlists... Playlist titles should include 'music videos' at the end for artist. These playlists show up elsewhere on the site, and more context and keywords will help.

Wednesday, 18 July 2012

The music business is one of the most difficult businesses to get into and I’m right there with all of you. However, if this is something that you really love doing then do it to the fullest! I think the main problem that people face with this business is thinking that the only way to be successful is to be a rich and famous artist. I’m here to tell you right now, that’s not the case at all.
If you could at least make a living from doing what you love, wouldn’t that be worth it in and of itself? Being an artist means that you’re doing something that you are passionate about, period. There’s a lot money to be had besides what you see on television; such as show money, parties, online distribution, and so much more.

Don’t Chase The Dollar Sign

That’s right, I said it! You should not chase the dollar sign and measure the amount of success you’re having with the amount of money you are making. Instead, you should be thinking along the lines of putting good content out consistently and putting listeners before yourself. After a while, people will start to realize that you’re not just another person putting your hand out begging for money, that you’re whole mission is to provide them with the best music possible; in turn they’ll be more than willing to open up their wallets to you.

Networking/Socializing Instead of Advertising

Imagine how it would feel if you went onto your favorite artist’s Facebook, sent them a nice message, and they actually sent a message back that was well thought and weren’t advertising. You’d feel real good right? Well that’s not something that your favorite artist can provide, but you can right? I’ve sent local artists messages of encouragement only to get them telling me to “check out” their latest single. Obviously I know about their latest single or I wouldn’t be sending them an encouraging message right? Unless you have some awesome connections, which I’m guessing you probably don’t, then you’re going to need to be genuine with other artists and listeners to get their loyalty to your brand(you).

Start A Blog

Sure having a Facebook, YouTube, and twitter is nice; but how about starting your own site where fans can read all about their favorite artist? All famous artists have their own blogs, but more than likely they never post on it; they have other people to do that for them. You can write posts every time you make a move with your career as an artist. Maybe you had a crazy day in the studio, maybe you just went to a show, maybe your baby just said their first word; anything!

The more posts you write, the more Google’s going to start sending people to your website. That way, you don’t have to rely on hustling your way to a career as an artist, you’ll have people coming to YOU. Just like anything though, you have to really enjoy it. Expect to see your starting year with very minimal traffic, but like I said; don’t chase the dollar sign.

I just gave you guys a lot of advice to work with, and I’m actually just starting to apply these things to my life. Things can only go up from here though right?

Friday, 15 June 2012

Lately I have seen WAY TOO MANY “newbies” who have NO CLUE of the magnitude of the journey they are about embark on when they enter into the realm of music production. Thus I am offering these 10 Newbie Commandments as a Guideline of what steps should be followed before one considers purchasing Studio/Recording equipment.

Ten “Newbie” Commandments

Thou Shalt “LEARN ABOUT MIDI”

“MIDI” is the language in which just about ALL music production equipment made within the last 20 years speaks! It is IMPERATIVE that you learn as much about MIDI as possible. Learn what it does and how it works. If you DON’T have a good grasp of how MIDI works, I suggest you DON’T BUY A DAMN THING! Purchasing Music production equipment without a basic knowledge of MIDI is like an American being dropped off in Russia and trying to communicate with the locals. You MUST know MIDI because I guarantee you that at some point in your budding production career you WILL have to deal with it. Plain and Simple

Thou Shalt “READ THY MANUALS”

It NEVER ceases to amaze me, how many people come to forums like these asking for answers to complex questions that are covered DIRECTLY IN THE MANUAL! Why on earth would you totally disregard the knowledge given to you by the ENGINEERS, you know, the people that MADE THE DAMN DEVICE! I know that some manuals can be VERY difficult to read but you are gonna have to just “suck it up” and RE-READ it as many times as it takes for you to UNDERSTAND it. Sure, someone will eventually SPOONFEED you the answer if you ask nicely enough but why take someones word for it when the answer is ALREADY GIVEN TO YOU. Stop being so DAMN LAZY and USE the materials at your disposal.

Thou Shalt “LEARN ABOUT CABLES”

You SHOULD have a basic knowledge of WHICH cables you need to hook up your gear. This is something that can be EASILY researched. ALMOST ALL of the gear you will use will have to be hooked up to something else at some point and knowing what cables you need is an ABSOLUTE MUST. Once again I have to suggest, If you DON’T KNOW about the various different cables used in music production, DON’T BUY A DAMN THING! You might be able to get someone to hook up your studio for you but if you are gonna RELY on that person every time you get a new piece then you might as well leave the music production to them.

Thou Shalt “RESEARCH THY GEAR BEFORE BUYING”

I have seen too many poor souls fishing around in music gear stores who don’t have a clue as to what they need and why. There are a great many things to be considered before you start to purchase gear. You should put in the hours BEFORE HAND to make sure that the gear you purchase CAN ACTUALLY DO the things you need it to do. You are gonna get taken advantage of if you walk into a store and say. “What do I need to buy so I can make Beats” The internet is available to you so use it. Often times various websites have the Manuals uploaded before the gear even comes out so there is no excuse to end up with a piece of gear that doesn’t meet up to your expectations. In all the years that I have owned gear I have NEVER ran across a piece of gear that could not do what it’s Spec Sheet and owners manual SAID IT COULD DO. It’s up to you. You could do some research now and get the RIGHT piece for the job OR you can go out “Half-Cocked” and end up wasting lots of $$$$ on stuff that didn’t do the job you needed done.

Thou Shalt “PRACTICE THY CRAFT”

Once you DO decide on a purchase, be committed to it. Don’t be so quick to give up on a piece of gear because it is difficult to learn at first. ALL gear has a learning curve based on its complexity and your personal music production knowledge. The more you use a piece the more its operating system will become familiar to you. Eventually you will be able to operate the gear effortlessly but it takes TIME. If you keep hopping from one piece to another you will never learn anything. Sometimes it will be rough but that’s what the manual is for. You also have places like this to help you out. Just make sure that if you end up parting with a piece of gear that it is because you outgrew that piece or it was not right for you. NOT because you didn’t KNOW how to use it.

Thou Shalt “RESIST THE URGE TO BUY ON IMPULSE”

One of the biggest pitfalls of new producers is what’s commonly referred to as G.A.S. or “Gear Acquisition Syndrome” There will ALWAYS be new and exciting pieces of gear on the market for you to spend your hard earned $$$$ on. Just remember YOU CANT OWN THEM ALL. You have to stay FOCUSED and remember why you got into music production…TO MAKE MUSIC, not to buy gear. Most young producers have limited budgets for gear so for most this wont be a problem but for those who are fortunate enough to spend whatever they like, remember this. The more stuff you buy the more stuff you have to LEARN. I am sure you may have heard the phrase “Jack of all trades, Master of none” Well the object hear is to MASTER the gear that we have and to make only those purchases that are NECESSARY for the advancement of our craft. Having a room full of gear might LOOK nice but it wont make you a better producer only a POORER one.

Thou Shalt “BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS" (SALES PEOPLE)

Keep in mind that the ONLY job of sales people is to SELL STUFF. When you go into music stores sales people WILL help you but their primary job is to sell you something. If you go in UNPREPARED and UNINFORMED there is a much greater chance that you will end up with the Most expensive gear that they can convince you to buy. It has been my personal experience that MOST of the sales people I have encountered had an EQUAL or LESSER amount of music production knowledge than I did! I am by no means a scholar, just someone who uses every available avenue to increase my knowledge about things that are important to me. Your BEST defence against these “False Prophets” is to have your homework DONE when you go in the store. Know what you want or at least what TYPE of gear you want. Know WHY you want it. That way you can keep a salesperson focused on getting you the gear that will best help you to achieve your goals, not the gear that will help him/her achieve their goal. (A Large Commission)

Thou Shalt “CONTINUALLY SEEK KNOWLEDGE”

There are MANY opportunities for us to learn more about music production. As an aspiring “Super Producer” you should seek to learn AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE about music production. The industry is FLOODED with others just like you, who want to make their mark AND make that money. Anything you can do to separate yourself from the “Pack” will be beneficial. Go ahead, Read that article on “Getting better Vocals”, go to the library and check out that book on “Proper Mixing Techniques”. You MUST realize going into this that it is a NEVER ENDING cycle of learning that you will be involved in. There is SO much knowledge out there and you SHOULD want ALL of it. Read EVERYTHING that may have some knowledge pertaining to your craft. The more you STUDY the better you will be at what you do. It’s like going to school for the REST OF YOUR LIFE…now ask yourself….ARE YOU READY FOR THAT!?!?

Thou Shalt “PROTECT THY EARS" (HEARING)

I see a lot of people doing STUPID stuff to their ears all the time. Understand this…YOUR EARS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT YOU HAVE! You HAVE TO take care of your hearing in order to do your job well. I know you like to BLAST those headphones when you are working out. Well guess what? You are going to have to give up a lot of the BAD HABITS that you have learned over the years. No more “Rumbling” down the street with that brand new 1000 watt stereo ALL THE WAY UP in you new pimped out ride. No more playing Splinter Cell on X-BOX with the surround sound MAXED OUT. You have to use common sense. I Personally would MUCH RATHER lose my sight than lose my hearing. Without your ears there would be no music business! Let me repeat that….WITHOUT YOUR EARS THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR A MUSIC INDUSTRY BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE NO MUSIC……..Only Silence..

Thou Shalt “REMAIN HUMBLE”

I know a lot of you are wondering…What does being HUMBLE have to do with music production? Well, I’ll tell you. Remaining HUMBLE will enable you to do EVERYTHING ELSE on this list. Humility will keep you GROUNDED so you will always have something to STRIVE for. Once you THINK you know everything you will become complacent. You will lose your DRIVE and slowly start to lose sight of your goals. Remembering that there is always something you can learn from the “Next Man” will keep you HUNGRY in the game and help to fuel your ambitions. We are ALL imperfect creatures and thus there is ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. Never become so cocky that you are not willing to LISTEN to the Ideas and Advice of other people. Always remember that this journey you are about to embark on is one of COMMITMENT, DETERMINATION and FOCUS. These are the things you will need aid you in you quest for SUCCESS…..

And Remember….

The race goes not to the SWIFT, nor to the STRONG, but to he that ENDURETH FOREVER!

Friday, 8 June 2012

This page will be updated regularly with free samples of loops and drumkits for producers. Sample packs are sourced from a variety of websites. These packs are not owned or created by me unless stated. Credits go to original creator of samples.

Scott Storch Drum KitStep up your drum game with some of samples from the producer Scott Storch himself! These are tuned drum samples, and organized into folders by pitch. Getting your drums in key is just as important as getting your instruments in key!

Thursday, 7 June 2012

When it comes to making beats at home, anybody that is serious about their music will need a set of monitor speakers. It's no use having your beats sounding "cray as fuck" on a pair of Beats by Dre, if somebody listening to your track on a pair of HiFi speakers is thinking "shit sounds wack".

When I first started, I had some crappy £10 speakers and a small subwoofer because I didn't have a clue about mixing and what sounded good or bad. That's why most of my early beats are really badly mixed.

Why do I need monitors?

Studio monitors or reference monitors give an accurate reproduction of the mix. Standard speakers and headphones colour the music (basically, make it sound better by changing some of the frequencies). So the serious producer needs monitors to get the most accurate representation of their tracks.

OK, so which monitors should I buy?

If you're on a budget, I would suggest a pair of low-mid range monitors. My first pair of monitors where KRK RP5's, which I still use and will serve me well until I feel my production skills are good enough that I need to upgrade.

The KRK's are many beatmaker's first monitors, due to their low price compared to other monitors and stylish looks, you will have probably seen the trademark yellow cones in many a studio. KRK's also work pretty well in untreated rooms, which is another advantage.

It is worth noting that you should not just go for the cheapest, monitors are like an investment, and the more you spend the likelihood is the better sound you will get out of them.

Also, do not forget to reference your mix on as many platforms as possible. That is, listen to your mix on your ipod, hifi, car stereo, mobile phone speakers, whatever you can. This way you can hear how your mix sounds on a variety of platforms, as not everyone who listens to your beats is going to be using some $3000 speakers.

Monday, 4 June 2012

Get Your Music Heard.

One thing many new aspiring Music Producers worry about is which websites to add their music to to be heard, as, there are many options out there.

It is an advantage to try to get your music uploaded to as many sites as possible in order to reach a wider audience. Here are some tips from me on which I think are the best websites.

1. YouTube

Yes, YouTube is known as a video website, but this does not necessarily mean you have to upload videos. When I started out, I made a video (in, I think, Windows Movie Maker) of my logo and one of my tracks. With some strategic tags I soon started getting comments (not all positive), which kick started my YouTube career. Fast forward 4 years and I have almost hit 16,000,000 video views and 16,000 subscribers. I was also lucky enough to be offered a YouTube partnership which gives me a reasonable secondary income each month. I can safely say that if it wasn't for YouTube I doubt I would be embarking on a career as a professional Music Producer. Here's a link to my channel - MickeyMontz YouTube

2. SoundClick

Soundclick is a brilliant website for freelance Music Producers. One of the best things about Soundclick is the chart system. The more people listen to your song, the higher it will chart. Now it's not easy getting to the top of the charts as there are many Producers that have a lock on the chart due to their huge fan bases. It also depends a lot on the quality of your music (obviously). I've tried getting to the top of the chart, with no success as of yet, but it still gives me a good source of traffic to my beats. I would recommend getting a VIP page which is around $10 a month. This allows you to create custom layouts and insert your own PayPal buttons for people to purchase leases to beats. I do make a good amount of money from people leasing beats through SoundClick. Check out mine (Yeah, the layouts not that good, I'm working on it!) MickeyMontz SoundClick

3. Twitter & Facebook

Twitter and Facebook are great resources for networking your music. Set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account, separate from your personal accounts. Post links to these everywhere: forums, Youtube, Soundclick wherever. Once you build up a following these social networks make it easier to interact with people. You can post links to your uploaded music to attract more traffic. It works! Chances are a lot of people reading this came from my Facebook or Twitter pages! If not here are the links FacebookTwitter

Those are the three main sources that I use. There are many more out there which I don't personally use, but that's not to say they aren't great resources. Search for Soundcloud, ReverbNation, RocBattle, PMPWorlwide, BeatPort. Those are off the top of my head.

Remember you can never be on too many websites, more networking = more promotion!